


Hidden Comforts

by Sphealrical



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Boys Kissing, Crying, Fluff and Angst, M/M, One Shot, Public Display of Affection, kind of?, other characters play minor roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 22:29:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6585142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sphealrical/pseuds/Sphealrical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave and Karkat made an agreement that they'd wait to announce their relationship, but Dave really needs his boyfriend right now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hidden Comforts

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to rniddleschool.tumblr.com for proofreading this! I really appreciate it!

The grassy expanse stretched before them, completely empty after their combined powers had helped to fast forward the ecosystem. Plant life covered every monument, and nature had taken back the planet the way Bill Nye and countless biologists had warned it would. The land was completely free of its old history and held only promises for the future.

They won.

They’d finally won.

Dave turned to ask Karkat something sarcastic but found him standing near John instead.

This whole “being subtle in front of the others” thing was killing Dave. He understood that Karkat found it hard to admit that he didn’t experience quadrant attraction the way that other trolls did: nothing was worse than conceding that you’re not the way society thinks you “should be”, even if that society was dead. Dave really did get it, and he respected Karkat’s wishes.

On the meteor, (less than a day ago, which was hard to think about), they’d found such a comfortable little routine. Karkat loved little displays of affection; wrapping his arms around Dave while he made coffee, kissing him anywhere he could reach when they met up no matter how short a time they’d been apart, playfully slapping him whenever he made dumb jokes… stuff like that. It was nice. It helped with that stupid little voice at the back of Dave’s head that never seemed to shut up about how Karkat could have anyone and what happens when he figures that out th-

He remembered himself and shut down that train of thought.

John laughs and wraps Karkat in a big congratulatory hug. Dave knows the troll’s expression well: it’s the face he makes when he’s trying not to  show how much he really fucking loves shit like that and enable the affection-giver. Dave thought back to earlier that day, when Karkat prattled on to John about how he was “over him”, how he didn’t care about him romantically anymore.

Dave could really use a chin kiss right now.

So he hung back. He didn’t want to call Karkat over to him (“Please, Dave,” Karkat had said, pressed against Dave’s side and looking him dead in the eyes, “when we tell them, we tell them, but it’s… I’m not ready yet.”), but there was a voice in his head nagging him and he needed  _ something _ . The group started to shuffle forward to look around a little, and Karkat, still caught in the Egbert charm ( _ fuck _ Dave needed to talk to him) went with them.

After an excruciatingly long minute, Karkat finally noticed Dave was hanging back from everyone. The troll whirled around to find Dave leaning against a tree,  rolling his eyes and excusing himself from the rest of the group via an affectionate “fuck off”. John noticed where he was heading and tried to follow, but Terezi stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a shark-like grin.

“Trust me,” she said, “you’re better off leaving them for a little while.”

Dave saw Karkat heading over, and moved behind the tree, blocking himself from view. Karkat knotted his eyebrows and sped up his pace a bit.

Dave’s chest felt stuffed, constricted. He tried to swallow as Karkat rounded the tree, but his throat felt completely crushed in cotton: It took all his focus to get it down. The troll looked at him with worry etched into his features.

“Is everything alright?” Karkat asked, always quick to the point.

“Hey, Karkat,” he said, trying to seem nonchalant. It didn’t work. Hearing Dave’s voice crack, Karkat hissed in sympathy and pulled him down for a hug.

“I’m here, it’s alright.” He said. Dave wrapped his arms tightly around his boyfriend and buried his head in the space between Karkat’s neck and shoulders. “Fuck, why didn’t you tell me something was bothering you? You’re close to a breakdown again,” said Karkat, sounding concerned.

“I- I didn’t realize I guess. I know you asked for some time before we spilled everything about us and I’m trying I’m trying so hard I’m sorry I made you come back here there’s no way John’s not gonna know something’s up but I coul-”

“Shhhhh, you giant God damned mess,” he said, rocking them back and forth. Dave choked on a dry sob. Karkat pulled back a little to look at the human properly.

He brought his hands up to Dave’s shades, making sure not to move them until Dave gave the okay. Karkat pushed the shades up with his thumbs to rest on top of Dave’s head. With them out of the way, Karkat could see just how badly his boyfriend had been affected by the last 24 hours. His candy-red irises seemed to  be pleading with Karkat for something, but he knew Dave would never ask, too anxious over possible answers. 

The troll cradled Dave’s chin in his hands and pulled the blonde in for a kiss. Dave clung to the troll, pressing the security of his boyfriend’s body solidly against him. The human’s arms shook, and Karkat shushed him against his lips. “God damnit you should’ve said something earlier,” he said, moving his lips down to press along Dave’s neck. 

“We were on a flat platform with no cover at all,” Dave swallowed, and Karkat kissed his bobbing adam’s apple, “I- I didn’t wanna break it to them that way, and you said you wanted to wait, and-”

“It’s alright. I know what I said. You don’t need to apologize.” Karkat gave his chin an affectionate nibble; Dave felt like he could breathe again through the still crushing pressure on his chest. He closed his eyes, sighed, and pulled Karkat with him as he leaned against the tree. “What happened though? Why are you s-”

“It’s just me being dumb again. Don’t worry about it.”

“No. It’s not dumb if it’s bothering you.”

“Normally I’m the one who says that to you” Dave’s voice held a trace of amusement. The pressure slowly lifted with every second his boyfriend chose to spend with him.

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Can we just… talk about it later? I kind of just want to enjoy this right now. I feel better; I promise.”

Karkat pulled back to nod. The two lazily kissed as they slid down the tree trunk, ending with Dave sitting cross-legged at the base. The troll rearranged himself so he was seated sideways in Dave’s lap with his head tucked under his chin. Dave leaned his head against his boyfriend’s.

They sat like this for a few minutes, just holding each other and enjoying the other’s company. Karkat nuzzled into Dave’s shoulder, and soon his chest began to rumble with contented purring.

“So,” Dave cringed at how loud his voice sounded after the silence. He started again in a quieter tone. “So...what do you think about the planet we made? Was it worth the wait?”

Karkat was silent. Dave lifted his head to check on his boyfriend, finding the troll had fallen asleep on Dave, a rare, peaceful smile on his face.

“Oh wow,” Dave whispered, a little grin working at the corners of his mouth. “Rude. Here I am trying to keep up conversation like a sociable gentleman, and you’re snoozin’ away on my shoulder. That’s private property, bro, you gotta pay to rent that shit out.”

Karkat continued to sleep, unfazed by the legal and monetary ramifications of a dead capitalist economic system.

Dave leaned his head on Karkat’s again (ignoring the horn slightly pressed into his nose, cutting off the air to one nostril). Threats didn’t work, so he’d have to wait until Karkat woke up.  
It was about ten minutes later that Rose rounded the corner, supplies (a blanket and a note with directions to the others’ current camp) cradled in her arms, to find the two boys slumped against each other and dead asleep, snoring softly. She snickered and vowed to tell Kanaya as soon as she got back to the others.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, Kanaya and Rose won't tell anyone. They know their insecure son and brother (respectively) are the only people who should do the big reveal.
> 
> So I know I have other fics (THAT I AM STILL WORKING ON! I'M SORRY!) but I got this idea in my mind and I just had to do it.


End file.
